By Stan Nicholson
16 September 2013
The CCC U-25 team undertook their 2nd tour to Jersey last weekend, 14 & 15 September 2013.
The touring party comprised of:
Wesley Morrick (Aston Rowant CC) - captain & coach
Sajid Ali (Farnham Royal CC)
Michael Churchill (Tunbridge Wells CC)
James Cramp (Bromley Common CC)
Efren Cruz (Guildford CC)
Jonathan Das (Wanstead CC)
Tahir Kazmi (Henley CC)
Abhishek Kulkarni (Stanmore CC)
Adam Lord (Wanstead CC)
Liam Mitchell (Welwyn Garden City CC)
Adam Muttitt (Aston Rowant CC)
Andrew O'Donovan (Bishop's Stortford CC)
Manager: Simon Routh
Assistant Manager: Stan Nicholson
Umpire: Laurie Allan
Scorer: Polly Rhodes
Fixtures/Match Reports:
Saturday 14 September v Jersey Cricket Board XI at Farmers CC (50/0 over match):
Heavy rain throughout the preceding 4 days had threatened any play on the tour. However bright sunshine & a drying wind greeted the CCC team after their 15 minute journey to the north of the island, to the immaculate cricket ground of Farmers CC (with 12 large tractors at one end of the ground). Jersey won the toss, & elected to bowl. The early loss of Sajid Ali, saw the best CCC stand of the tour (83) between Efren Cruz and Adam Muttitt. Most of Cruz's 43 runs were behind square as the Jersey seamers bowled straight but short of a length. Muttitt's 48 included only 1 boundary in his 71 deliveries faced, but the run-rate between them was near 1 a ball. Wickets then fell too regularly to 129/7. James Cramp and Abhishek Kulkarni stopped the rot with another run-a-bowl partnership (60), before both were out within 7 deliveries. The last wicket managed to get the score to 200. Jersey's reply was built around a 104 ball, 80 run performance from captain, Peter Gough. Along the way he featured in 2 off 50 run partnerships, and even with his departure at 144 for 5, Jersey were still in control. CCC spinners, Cramp, Tahir Kazmi, and Liam Mitchell all bowled superbly to assist Wes Morrick restrict the scoring rate and keep the pressure on (Jersey needed 13 off the last over to win with 1 wicket remaining). A satisfying 6 run victory for the CCC. [full scorecard here]
The rain during the week had made the Grainville ground unplayable for a Jersey club competition final on Saturday, so it was decided to return to Farmers CC on Sunday, and play (or try and play) 2 off T20 matches before expected afternoon rain returned.
Sunday 15 September v Jersey Cricket Board XI at Farmers CC (1st 20/20 over match):
After winning the toss, Jersey batted first, and took full advantage of short pitched bowling by a tired-looking set of CCC bowlers. A change of captain (through availability) to Ed Farley produced another captain's innings (& man-of-the-match) performance; 86 off 55 balls, 7 x 4's, & 7 x 6's. Callum Rabet (48) assisted in their opening partnership of 111 from 79 deliveries. The CCC's reply to 179 was led with equal belligerence by James Cramp (78 from 57), but he had no partners stay long enough with him, and the innings fell way short at 139. [full scorecard here]
Sunday 15 September v Jersey Cricket Board XI at Farmers Field (2nd 20/20 over match):
The rain looked like staying away for a few hours, so the 2nd T20 started after a short lunch break.
CCC won the toss and asked Jersey to bat first; surely the bowling could not be that bad two matches in a row ?
And so that proved as Morrick dismissed both the Jersey main scorers in the first T20 in his first 2 overs. All the CCC bowlers redeemed themselves, with Andrew O'Donovan collecting 3 wickets in his 3 overs.
However the modest 124 chase proved too much for the CCC batsman. It was a disappointing end to the tour as we just crawled to 102. [full scorecard here]
Manager Simon Routh described the tour, "as a great success for both the CCC and it's partnership with Jersey Cricket. The experence proved invaluable for the CCC players for both touring particaption as well as a means of developing their own cricket".